Fried Cabbage Ramen

If you’re looking for a new and delicious way to jazz up ramen noodles, then you’re in for a treat with this Fried Cabbage Ramen recipe! With the addition of smoky bacon, savory onions, and salty Parmesan cheese, these noodles are bursting with flavor. This amplified ramen will quickly become a new favorite in your recipe collection!

Mashing Up Two Favorite Recipes

This Fried Cabbage Ramen recipe is a delicious mashup of two classic dishes: Fried Cabbage and Cacio e Pepe.

By combining the flavors of pepper, Parmesan cheese, and noodles, we get the Cacio e Pepe inspiration. To this, we’ve added our quick version of fried cabbage, which includes cabbage and loads of bacon! The result is a truly unique and flavorful meal that’s sure to become a new family favorite. This dish is filling and satisfying, making it perfect for any night of the week. 

Let’s Chat Parmesan Cheese

If you’re making this Fried Cabbage Ramen dish, it’s important to pay attention to the cheese that you use. While we aim for this recipe to be quick and easy, we highly recommend using a block of Parmesan and grating it fresh. This will give you the best possible flavor and texture for the dish.

• When grating the cheese, be sure to use the small holes of a grater and gently pack it into the measuring cup to get an accurate amount. This will ensure that you have the right amount of cheese for the recipe and that it’s evenly distributed throughout the dish.
• If you’re in a pinch, you can use finely grated Parmesan cheese, but be sure to choose a refrigerated, finely grated version. Don’t use Parmesan cheese from a can, as it can be too salty and won’t integrate or melt smoothly into the dish.
• When you’re tossing the noodles with the cabbage mixture in Fried Cabbage Ramen, it’s important to add the Parmesan cheese gradually and in small amounts. This will help to ensure that the cheese is evenly distributed throughout the dish and that it doesn’t clump together.

Fried Cabbage Ramen Tips

Here are some tips to help you make the most delicious Fried Cabbage Ramen:

• Prep all ingredients before starting: This recipe moves quickly! It’s helpful to have everything out and ready before starting.
• Cook the bacon and onion well: Take your time cooking the bacon and onions until they’re golden brown and fully cooked. This will help infuse the dish with delicious flavor. 
• Be careful not to overcook the ramen: The ramen noodles only need to cook for two minutes in boiling water, so be sure not to overcook them since they’ll cook a bit more as they’re tossed with the fried cabbage mixture.
• Season the dish well: Taste the dish as you go along and adjust the seasoning as necessary. You can add more salt and pepper to taste, depending on your preference.
• Use a large skillet: To ensure that all of the ingredients are well combined, use a large skillet that can accommodate all of the ingredients without overcrowding the pan.
• Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon: For an extra burst of freshness and flavor, consider garnishing the dish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges. A squeeze of lemon is SO delicious if you’re into that.

More Ramen Recipes:

• Pork Ramen Stir Fry with edamame
• General Tso Ramen with bok choy
• Chicken Ramen with broccoli and red pepper
• Garlic Beef and Veggie Ramen with flank steak
• Peanut Butter Ramen ready in 15 minutes

Recipe inspired by Budget Byte’s Fried Cabbage Noodles.

SaveSaved Pin Print

5 from 4 votes

Fried Cabbage Ramen

By Chelsea Lords

If you're looking for a new and delicious way to jazz up your ramen noodles, then you're in for a treat with this Fried Cabbage Ramen recipe! With the addition of smoky bacon, savory onions, and salty Parmesan cheese, these noodles are bursting with flavor. This enhanced ramen will quickly become a new favorite in your recipe collection!

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 -4 servings

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ▢ 9 slices bacon, diced to 1/2-inch pieces
• ▢ 1 medium-sized yellow onion, cut in half and sliced as thinly as possible (~1½ cups)
• ▢ 1 pkg. (10 oz.) angel hair coleslaw (Note 1)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ Fine sea salt & pepper
• ▢ 3 pkgs. (9 oz. total) ramen noodles (Note 2)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese (Note 3)
• ▢ Optional: fresh parsley, fresh lemon

Instructions 

• BACON AND ONION: Begin by dicing the bacon and thinly slicing the onion.

  Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the diced bacon and cook. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes before adding in the sliced onion.

  Cook the bacon and onion, stirring often, until the onion is tender and the bacon is golden brown and fully cooked.
  
• CABBAGE: Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to the center of the skillet. Sprinkle in ½ teaspoon of garlic powder and season everything to taste with fine sea salt & pepper (I add ½ teaspoon each).

  Add the bag of coleslaw to the skillet and stir until it is tender and wilted-- about 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat.
  
• RAMEN: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with 2 teaspoons of fine sea salt. Add in all three packages of ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets) and cook, stirring frequently, for only 2 minutes (or 1 minute less than indicated on package). Immediately drain the noodles, but do not run them under cold water.
• COMBINE: Add drained, cooked ramen to the skillet. Switch to tongs, and toss ingredients well, gradually adding in the Parmesan cheese, about 1½ tablespoons at a time, until nicely and smoothly melted. Season again, I add ½ up to 1 more tsp pepper (we love the subtle heat here--similar to a Cacio de Pepe!) and sometimes ¼ tsp salt depending on how salty things are tasting. Flavors should sing!
  
• ENJOY: Serve with fresh parsley if desired. Scoop into plates and use a microplane to grate a touch more Parmesan cheese on top. Serve lemon wedges on the side--a squeeze of lemon is so delicious if you're into that.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Angel hair coleslaw: This ingredient is easy to find in the produce section of your local grocery store, near other packaged salad mixes. When buying coleslaw mix, be sure to check the ingredient list and choose a mix that only contains green cabbage. Of course, you can slice your own green cabbage, but this will add to overall prep time. You'll need about 6 cups, very thinly sliced.

Note 2: Ramen noodles: Any brand of instant ramen noodles will work, but it's important to get the right amount. For this recipe, you'll need 9 ounces of ramen noodles, which is three packages of standard-sized ramen soup mix. Discard (or save for another recipe) the seasoning packets and just use the noodles. Otherwise, the dish will be too salty and the flavor will be off.

Note 3: Parmesan cheese: Use a block of Parmesan and grate it on the small holes of a grater and pack it into the measuring cup for the right measurement. Alternatively, use finely grated Parmesan cheese. Parmesan from the can will be too salty and won't integrate well.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 50.5g | Protein: 18.1g | Fat: 36.6g | Cholesterol: 61.6mg | Sodium: 1302.2mg | Potassium: 773mg | Fiber: 2.8g | Sugar: 3.1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!